butts



{No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. B. BUTTS.

PLANTER, SEEDER, AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

No. 825,893. Patented Sept. v

N. PETiRS Phaio-Liihagnphnn Willhlnghn. n. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. BUTTS. PLANTER, SEEDER, AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

No. 325,393. Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

J. B. BUTTS. PLANTER, SEEDER, AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

Patented Sept. 1

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

J. BELTON BUTTS, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

PLANTER, SEEDER, AND FERTlLl'ZER-DiSTRIBUTER.

SPECIEECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,393, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed March 27, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. B. BUTTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of liluscogee and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Planters, Seeders, and Fertilizer-Distribu ters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to seed'planters and fertilizer-distributers that can be used inter changeably on one and the same stock.

My invention further relates to devices for hanging the coverers rearwardly so that they can be removed at will.

My invention further relates to the peculiar construction of the several parts and combinations thereof, as illustrated in the drawings, and as hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference point out similar parts on each figure, Figure l is a side elevation of my invention, showing a planter in place. Fig. 2is a similar side elevation showing a seed-dropper in place. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coverers and drive-wheel and their connections detached from the beam. Fig. 4. is a detail view of a rocker-shaft with attached agitators, showing crank for linking to the pitrnan. Fig. 5 is a top view of parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a top view of the seed-hopper. Figs. 7 and S are opposite side views thereof, showing the slide in different positions. Fig. 9 is a detached view of the middle portion thereof, showing the seedf spring-contr0lling tongues. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the seed-distributing slide. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the hopper supporting strips.

In the drawings, A designates the beam of an ordinary shovel-plow; a a, the handles, secured to the beam in theusual manner. The beam A is provided with a stirrup, a, for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. A is a strip, cut away at itsbottom at 1, to enable it to bridge over theplow-fastening bolts, forked at its rear end at 2 to embrace the key of the hanger, and slightly tapered forwardly at 3, so that it can pass under the-stirrup a. Said strip may also have further means-as, for'instance, pegs-5to secure it to the beam. The stirrup a is pivoted at both of its ends, at 9, to the beam a, so that it can be swung to and fro over and away from the tapered forward end 3 of the strip A. The strip A composes the bed-piece or rcsiing beam for the distributing-hoppers.

F is a seed-dropping hopper, provided with fasteners b for connection to eyes a, its bottom f having a single orifice, f. The front and rear ends of said hopper havelower openings, f for the passage to and fro of a slide, F, said slide having two or more orifices, f, which as said slide is propelled forward and backward come successively in alignment with the orifice f for the free dropping of seed.

F is a partition that divides the hopper F. It has a cut-away portion, 6, which is covered over by spring-tongues 7. The function of the partition F and its attached spring-tongues 7 is to divide the hopper into two sections, we, and thereby, by means of the slide F, to enable the dropping of seed predetermined distanccs apart. To be explicit, suppose the section .r were supplied with grain, and the slide F to be put in motion backward and forward. The grain would be dropped, say, thirty-six inches apart, while, if both sections were filled, grain would be deposited at every interval of, say, eighteen inches; for it is plain that if only section 00 were supplied seed would, as the slide is propelled as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 10, only be fed through an orifice, when coming in alignment with the orifice f in bottom of the hopper F. No supply in such case would be 6 rawn from section :0, while,

- if both sections were filled,seed would he sowed whichever direction the slide F might travel. The function of the spring-tongues T-is to prevent clogging of the seed and to allow only a proper quantity to pass through the aligning orifices, for if too much is brought to the cenfor said tongues will spring off the surplus.

Pivoted to one side of the hopper F is a bell-crank lever, G, one arm of which in practice is pivoted to a pitman-rod, D, the opposite arm being pivoted to arod, G, the opposite end of which in turn is pivoted to the forward end of the slide F, by which means to-and-fro motion isimparted to said slide. On the opposite side of the hopper F is an apron, 8, which protects the seed when falling to the ground.

The hopper F is mounted on a strip, A, cut away at 1, forked at 2, and tapered at its forward end, but in addition thereto has a cut away portion at one side tapering from the top outwardly,forming a chute, 4, through which, protected outwardly by the apron 8, the seed falls, the aperture f, (in the bottom f,) also tapered from the top,being in alignment with said cut-away chute 4.

H is a drive-wheel, preferably made of steel, mounted to and between the arms h of a hanger, H. The arms hare connected at the top by a cross-bridge piece, h. From said bridge h is an upwardly-projecting bar, h which in practice passes through an aperture, (6, in the rear of the beam A, wherein it is firmly connected by means of a key, 7L3.

Firmly attached to the upper end of each bar h is an obliquely-inclined-bar, 71*, upon which rests a spiral sp ring,H thetop end of which is fastened to the upper end of said bar h", the opposite end of said spring being fastened to coverers H H, said coverers being pivotally connected at [L to the arms 72 of the hanger H. On one side of the axle h isa crank, h The extending stud h takes into an aperture at the lower end of the pitmanrod D. The opposite end of said pitman is apertured at d d to receive the end of the hopper-operating crank.

The beam A is provided forwardly of the drive-wheel with a plow, J, of any suitable construction, to open a furrow in advance of the dropping of the contents of the hoppers.

From the foregoing description it. will be readily understood that my invention provides that the beam A can be utilized for cottonplanting or the like when the hopper B is in place and its crank connected, as before described, through the pitman D to the crank of the drive-wheel, whereby the agitator E will be caused to vibrate and distribute the contents of said hopper through its slitted bottom. Again, by removing said hopper and adjusting the hopper Fon the beam A as before described, and connecting its bell-crank lever G through the pitman D to the crank of the drive-wheel, seed will be distributed through the chute 4 at predetermined distances as the slide F travels to and fro. Again, by removing both hoppers and unkeying the hanger H the drive-wheel and all its connections willbe unshipped and the beam and its plow can be utilized for ordinary purposes.

The operation of myinvention will be readily understood. One of the hoppers being placed in position, as the device is drawn forwardly the plow J opens a furrow, turning the drive-wheel, which transmits motion through the pitman D to its connected crank, causing the contents of the respective hopper to fall on the ground in the plowed furrow. The soil being turned over by means of the coverers in the rear, said coverers will readily pass over any root, stone, or other impediment, as they will be lifted up by reason of their pivotal connection to the side bars of the hanger and pressure of the coiled springs, and immediately resume their normal position by relaxation of said spring when released from said pressure.

I am aware that compartment-hoppers have heretofore been made, and that reciprocating seedslides are not new, and lay no claim,

broadly, to such devices, but limit myself to the combination of elements as specifically claimed; and I will observe that so far as known to me the spring-tongues 7, covering the opening 6 of the partition F, have never before been employed in such machines, and that their operative functions are of great value, as they clear away obstructing seed in whichever direction the reciprocating slide F is traveling.

I am aware that a broom has beenv used for regulating the outflow of seed; but it is liable to be clogged and is easily worn away by friction.

Iamalsoawarethatvertically-spring-pressed rigid scrapers have been employed for a like purpose, and lay no claim thereto.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an interchangeable planter and seeder, the seed-planting hopper F, divided into sec tions 00 m by means of a partition, F, said partition having a lower central perpendicular cut-away portion, 6, covered by depending spring-tongues 7, said hopperhavinga bottom provided with a central aperture, f, in combination with a reciprocating slide, F, having apertures f and having at one side forwardly pivoted thereto a bar, G, whereby when the device is operated said slide will pass forward and backward through apertures f in the front and rear of said hopper, substantially as described.

2. In an interchangeable seeder and planter, a drive-wheel, H, having its axle mounted to and between the arms h of a hanger, H, said hanger having a bridge-piece, h, and an upwardly-projecting arm, h apertured to receive a bolt, each of the arms h having an obliquely-inclined bar, h, as and for the purpose intended, substantially as described.

3. In a seeder and planter, a drive-wheel the axle of which is mounted to and between the side arms of a detachable hanger, said arms having pivoted rearward thereto obliquelyinclined coverers, the upper ends of said coverers being connected to helical springs H resting on inclined bars h, pivoted to the side bars of the hanger, whereby said coverers will spring upward when their points meet resistance and regain their normal position upon withdrawal of resistance, substantially as described.

4. In an interchangeable seeder and plant- IIO er, a dropping-hopper having on one side an pivoted thereto followers controlled by said outwardly-projecting crank pivoted to the springs, in combination with said hanger and I0 upper end of a pitman, said pitman pivoted drive-wheel, as and for the purpose intended,

at its lower end to a drive-wheel journaled to substantially as described.

and between the side arms of a detachable J. BELTON BUTTS. hanger, said side arms having rearwardly- Witnesses: extending obliquely-inclined bars,npon which J. W. TICE,

rest helical springs, said arms also having J AS. L. THEADAWAY. 

